Former Black Stars coach Chris Hughton has acknowledged the deep passion Ghanaians have for football, describing his experience coaching the national team as intense and high-pressure.

Hughton, who initially served as the Black Stars' technical director, assumed the head coach role after Otto Addo stepped down following Ghana’s exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, his tenure was short-lived, as he was dismissed after the team’s disappointing group-stage elimination at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory Coast.

“Working in Africa is very different. I worked for a nation that is football-mad. One thing Ghanaians love, apart from the Premier League, is the Black Stars,” Hughton said in an interview with Voice Online.

He admitted that he was fully aware of the pressure that came with the job and understood that his future depended on the team’s performance.

“I knew the pressure of taking the job when I took it, and if you’re not getting the right results, then you will know about it,” he added.

Following Hughton’s exit, Otto Addo has returned as Ghana’s head coach, signing a three-year contract to lead the team’s rebuilding process.